Houston gas prices dip slightly for the week, trend higher

Updated 10:55 am, Tuesday, October 18, 2016

Jose Charles fills up with gas during the grand opening of PEMEX in the 7900 block of Park Place Blvd, Thursday, Dec. 3, 2015, in Houston. (Cody Duty / Houston Chronicle file photo)

Jose Charles fills up with gas during the grand opening of PEMEX in the 7900 block of Park Place Blvd, Thursday, Dec. 3, 2015, in Houston. (Cody Duty / Houston Chronicle file photo)

Photo: Houston Chronicle

Houston gas prices dip slightly for the week, trend higher

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The Houston area registered a barely noticeable decline in average retail gas prices during the past week.

As of Sunday, the average price for a gallon of regular gasoline was $2, down 0.6 cents from one week ago, according to the gas price-watching website GasBuddy.com. The average is based on a daily survey of 2,559 gas stations across the area.

Houston's current average is about 2 cents higher than one year ago and 5.2 cents higher than one month ago, according to GasBuddy.

The national weekly average fell more sharply, dropping 2.4 cents to $2.23 per gallon.

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October typically is a month for retail price declines but certain disruptions have affected supplies, GasBuddy senior petroleum analyst Gregg Laskoski said in a statement.

"While the price increase of crude oil has stalled the expected price decrease for retail gasoline, problems at major refineries in Indiana, Texas, Louisiana and California have adversely impacted supply as well," Laskoski said. "The most recent EIA report shows U.S. refinery output at just 85.5%, the lowest level since Jan. 22, 2015."

The national average has risen 3 cents during the past month but is 3.4 cents lower than one year ago.